Agenda and minutes

Venue: Town Hall, Moorgate Street, Rotherham.

Contact: James McLaughlin, Head of Democratic Services  The webcast can be viewed at http://www.rotherham.public-i.tv

Items
No. Item

71.

Declarations of Interest

Minutes:

There were no Declarations of Interest to report.

72.

Questions from Members of the Public and the Press

Minutes:

There were no questions from members of the public or the press.

73.

Exclusion of the Press and Public

To consider whether the press and public should be excluded from the meeting during consideration of any part of the agenda.

Minutes:

The Chair reported that there were no items of business on the agenda which would require the exclusion of the press or public from the meeting.

74.

July 2018/19 Financial Monitoring Report pdf icon PDF 207 KB

Cabinet Portfolio:                 Corporate Services and Finance

Strategic Directorate:           Finance and Customer Services

Minutes:

Consideration was given to the report which set out the financial position as at the end of July 2018 and was based on actual costs and income for the four months April to July, 2018 with forecasts for the remaining eight months of the financial year.

 

This report was part of a series of financial monitoring reports presented to the Cabinet for 2018/19, setting out the projected year-end revenue budget financial position in light of actual costs and income for the first four months of the financial year and included revenue forecasts, details of capital spending and the projected capital outturn position. 

 

The current revenue position after four months showed a forecast balanced revenue budget after taking account of the £10m budget contingency approved within the 2018/19 budget. Work continued to identify further savings to improve this position further by the financial year end. 

 

The report set out by Directorate, the summary forecast revenue outturn position after management actions which have already been quantified and implemented and these were highlighted.

 

However, to achieve this position a number of mitigating savings actions have been required and further spending reductions had to be identified and implemented across all Council services, in order to offset the impact of a range of cost and demand pressures impacting on the Council’s budgets.

 

The overspending against budget in Children’s and Young People’s Services Directorate was continuing in the current financial year  as a result of demand for services outstripping budget capacity. The number of children in care continued to increase this financial year.

 

The increased number of Looked after Children also placed significant pressure on Legal Services within the Finance and Customer Services Directorate. The current forecasted overspend for Legal Services was £1.230m. The Finance and Customer Services Directorate overall was forecasting to outturn within budget after putting into place a range of mitigating actions to compensate for the Legal Service forecast overspend. 

 

The Adult Care Services Directorate were forecasting an overall overspend of £6.221m. A combination of increased client numbers, the rising cost of care packages, and delays in delivery of savings plans have led to pressure on budgets across all client groups.  A recovery plan has been developed to address previously undelivered savings and project plans are currently being finalised with the expectation that further savings will be identified from this activity.

 

Regeneration and Environment Directorate was forecasting a balanced budget, although it was facing challenges from a combination of declining business from the school meals service and challenges with delivery of budget savings. 

 

Discussion ensued on the ability to balance the budget and maintain statutory services and whether there was any flexibility within the Capital Programme once funds had been allocated.  It was pointed out the Council had not reached the stage where it could not fulfil its legal responsibilities and that the Capital Programme was continually monitored for areas of slippage and different financial decision making.

 

Members also referred to the major pressures facing Regeneration and Environment Services and whether the reviews  ...  view the full minutes text for item 74.

75.

Council Plan Quarter 1 Performance Report pdf icon PDF 155 KB

Cabinet Portfolio:                 Corporate Services and Finance

Strategic Directorate:           Assistant Chief Executive

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Consideration was given to the report which confirmed how the Council Plan represented the core document that underpinned the Council’s overall vision, setting out headline priorities, indicators and measures that would demonstrate its delivery. Alongside it sat the Council’s Performance Management Framework which explained to all Council staff how robust performance monitoring and management arrangements were required to ensure effective implementation.

 

The Performance Report and Performance Dashboard/Scorecard (Appendices A and B) provided an analysis of the Council’s current performance against fourteen key delivery outcomes and seventy-two measures. This report was based on the current position of available data, along with an overview of progress on key projects and activities which also contributed towards the delivery of the Council Plan.

 

At the end of the fourth and final quarter (January to March 2018) twenty-five measures had either met or had exceeded the target set in the Council Plan. This represented 43.9% of the total number of indicators where data was available or where targets have been set. The direction of travel was positive for thirty-two (49.2%) of the indicators measured in this quarter. The Priority area with the highest proportion of targets met was Priority 4 (Extending Opportunity and Prosperity).

 

Reference was made to areas that were performing well or improving and those that were off target for the five Priorities, but in general the performance was positive and improving in the right direction.

 

Members sought information on how workforce capacity and skills could be developed and how the workforce could be sustained.  It was pointed out that the Skills Strategy had been delayed, but was currently being worked through by the Investment and Skills Sub-Group.  This linked into the Sheffield City Region’s strategy and polices, but from a Rotherham perspective.  Work was also taking place with the new university campus.

 

Members welcomed the new style format  for the report.  In noting the detail asked about the number of complaints and performance data collated for the call centre and more specifically if data was collated for call abandonment.

 

Performance data was collated for the call centre and there had been some complaints about waiting times.  However, staff numbers in the call centre were due to increase over the next few weeks.  There had been an increase in calls more recently due to the changes in the waste collection service, but as this service became embedded the number of calls should decrease. 

 

Given the aims of Priority 5 of becoming a modern, efficient Council it was asked if consideration had been given to the early involvement of scrutiny members in the development stages and review of policies which would confirm that Cabinet were taking this priority seriously.

 

Early engagement with scrutiny members was key and there was a huge amount of scrutiny activity now taking place with scrutiny colleagues.

 

Online digital services were being rolled out more with the implementation of new software which was working well.  This had confirmed that more than 85% of those wanting a green waste service had  ...  view the full minutes text for item 75.

76.

Response to Overview and Scrutiny Recommendations - Use of Interims, Agency and Consultancy Staff pdf icon PDF 120 KB

Cabinet Portfolio:                 Corporate Services and Finance

Strategic Directorate:           Assistant Chief Executive

Additional documents:

Minutes:

Further to Minute No. 33 of the meeting of the Cabinet held on 17th September, 2018, consideration was given to the report which detailed the outcome of the review following concerns by the Overview and Scrutiny Management Board at the increasing and significant forecast of in-year agency and consultancy overspend.

 

The review sought assurance that the Council measured performance and value for money in its use of agency staff and consultants and was taking appropriate action to maintain spend within acceptable limits. The recommendations made by Members were based on information and evidence collated during the course of the review and their challenge of existing practices and developing protocols.

 

The Cabinet accepted all twelve broad recommendations arising from the scrutiny review.  Progress would continue to be closely monitored and would be led by the Assistant Director for Human Resources and Organisational Development.

 

Resolved:-  (1)  That the Cabinet’s response to the scrutiny review on the Use of Agency, Interim and Consultancy Staff be noted.

 

(2)  That a report be provided to the Overview and Scrutiny Management Board in January, 2019 for an update on progress.

77.

Youth Cabinet/Young People's Issues

Minutes:

There were no issues to report.

78.

Work in Progress - Select Commissions

To receive updates from the Chairs of the Select Commission on work undertaken and planned for the future.

 

Minutes:

The Chairs of the Select Commissions provided the following updates on work undertaken and planned activities:-

 

Improving Places Select Commission

 

Councillor Sansome confirmed all activity/reporting would be monitored through the work programme.

 

Improving Lives Select Commission

 

Councillor Brookes reported the Performance Sub-Group had discussed a number of issues relating to Safeguarding and Early Help, which Councillor Watson had provided an update on. 

 

Challenges were also made to dips in performance and reassurances were provided.

 

Health Select Commission

 

Councillor Short had nothing further to report.

 

Overview and Scrutiny Management Board

 

The Chair confirmed a meeting was to take place with Voluntary Action Rotherham and two additional budget meetings were to be scheduled shortly.

 

Resolved:-  That the update be noted.

79.

Call-in Issues - to consider any issues referred for call-in

Minutes:

There were no call-in issues to report.

80.

Urgent Business

To determine any item which the Chairman is of the opinion should be considered as a matter of urgency.

Minutes:

There were no matters or urgent business to report.

81.

Date and time of next meeting

Wednesday, 17th October, 2018, commencing at 11.00 a.m.

Minutes:

Resolved:-  That the next meeting of the Overview and Scrutiny Management Board take place on Wednesday, 17th October, 2018 at 11.00 a.m.